Genius Next Door
by scarletXlotus
Summary: AU. Ulquiorra and Orihime are both wounded by the world around them but when they find each other, they find the light. Warning: homosexual characters, drugs,mentions of child abuse. Not as bad as it sounds.


**A/N: I'm sorry… I know I promised to finish the only exception but this kind of popped up out of nowhere and I've been in a slump lately and simply couldn't let go of this this little nugget of hope. Anyway I hope you like this. It's kind of dark but, don't worry, it'll have it's happy parts. The quote is from this stories namesake, 'Genius Next Door', by Regina Spektor, if you haven't listened to the song or Regina before, I suggest you go to you tube and check her out while reading this, to get the full effect… she's my favourite musician, her songs take my breath away.**

**Disclaimer: The song and Bleach do not belong to me, I am merely a huge fan.**

_Some said the local lake had been enchantedothers said it must have been the weather_

XXX

Hueco mundo. Karakura's very own Sodom. The booze and drugs ran freely in this town, feeding the trash of human society running the streets, selling their souls to the dealers for pills and coke. Selling their entities to me for cold, hard, cash.

I sighed and leaned back against the damp brick wall, counting the seconds as they passed by.

The stash inside my coats inner pockets weighed heavily against my chest, the little baggies of various narcotics rustling lightly against each other as I breathed in and out.

The night was cool and crisp.

I rolled my shoulder blades, trying to work the kinks from my back. These long, cold, nights were murder on my muscles; they had recently began to stiffen from these long bouts of stillness. I should probably ask Grimmjow for another fight soon, just to stretch my body; he'd probably jump at the opportunity, just to try and beat me.

A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips at the thought of my little brother (or half brother if I chose to be pedantic). He would probably laugh at me claiming us so, he'd rather call us rivals, even though we both knew differently. We didn't need the labels others use to know what we were. Comrades? Brothers? Rivals? Allies? Friends? All were just useless names to us. We were ourselves and that's all that mattered.

I frowned. Business was slow tonight.

I flipped open the small, sleek phone I had kept my fingers curled tightly around as the hours passed, and pressed the speed dial. It rang out three times before it picked up.

"'_Ello, Quiorra, ya finished already?"_

I held back a shudder of disgust at the traitors voice. I had to play it nice.

"Tonight is a slow night, Ichimaru," I went into automatic, my voice monotonous and lifeless. "Barely anyone has ventured into to my territory all evening. They must be frightened after last nights… incident. I see no point in staying here while there is no customers to sell to." I wasn't lying. There hadn't been many customers this evening but, the real truth was that I just wanted to go home and sleep. The night before had been long and arduous and all I wanted to do was go home and collapse in my ratty bed, in the tiny, one bedroomed apartment I shared with Grimm and our little sister, Nel.

Ichimaru hummed slightly in thought. _"I'll let ya off tonigh' but ya'll have ta make it up tomorrow'."_

I nodded and then remembered he couldn't see me. "Thank you, Ichimaru, I'll make it up to you."

"_You better, Quiorra. Ja ne."_

I wasn't stupid. I knew that if I didn't sell the opiates they gave me, Ichimaru would break my legs or hack off my fingers. He'd done it before; dragged some useless crack head into the warehouse we gathered in for meetings, and chopped pieces of him off as we all watched, horrified. It was an example of what they could and would so to us if we couldn't sell, if we tried to steal from them, or even if we just plain pissed them off. They'd destroy each and everyone of us if we crossed them, and they wouldn't bat an eye as we screamed and writhed and choked on our own darkening blood.

I held back a shudder and pushed the gory mental images from my mind.

As I walked, distracted by a number of regulars I could call up to shift my gatheing pile of gear, I barely noticed a figure in front of me, before it was just a few feet away.

A woman with long, burnt orange hair and sad, silver eyes was stood in front of a mass of white and red flowers, set against the side of a lamp post. Her gaze didn't lift as she stared down at the moist flowers. She didn't even turn to acknowledge me as I paused my steps.

She was beautiful, without a doubt. Even with pain and sadness etched into her delicate features, her beauty was mesmerizing.

The soft, yellow glow of the lamppost seemed to cast her in an unearthly light, like a ghost in a children's fairytale.

I was tempted to speak to her, to tell her these streets were dangerous and she should go home to her family, but I was to scared to break whatever spell she was under, to wake her from her sleep.

So, I walked on , glancing back every now and again at the ghostly creature beneath the lamp, as still as a porcelain doll, until I turned the corner of the block.

The apartment was quiet when I reached it. I assumed that Grimm and Nel were already asleep. It was past midnight already and Grimm had school in the morning.

I stripped down to my boxers as I walked through the living room, draping the discarded clothes over my arms, ready to pile on the top of my chest of drawers.

A smile spread across my lips as I entered the room, a sight too adorable for words spread out before me. Nel had climbed out of her cot again and was now curled up against Grimm's chest. She looked so tiny compared to her tall and muscular brother. Grimmjow's arms were wrapped loosely around her, as if he was protecting her while they slept. They looked more like angels than anything I could ever describe. Ethereal creatures in a cold and desolate hell.

They weren't like me, they didn't belong here.

They belonged somewhere warm and welcoming, where they could get a good education, marry the loves of their lives and live the rest of their lives knowing they won't get shot if they step into the wrong territory or if I piss someone off.

I creeped quietly across the patchy carpet, careful to avoid the weak and creaky floorboards and climbed into bed, allowing myself to finally shut my eyes and relax. Dreams of sunset hair and melancholy, silver eyes dancing through my mind.

XXX

The smell of toast and butter roused me from my sleep, a gaggle of whispers emanating from the kitchen in a failing effort at being quiet.

_What are those two up to now? _I sighed quietly before crawling out of bed and cracking open the bedroom door.

Nel and Grimm were in the kitchen. Grimmjow's massive, half dressed frame leant over Nel's as he tried to spoon feed her small bowl of porridge with a plastic spoon. She wiggled about in her highchair, food dribbling down her chin as she giggled.

"Shh… Monster, Quoirra's trying to sleep. We don't wanna wake him up, do we?" he whispered. Nel didn't seem to get the message and continued to giggle as she was spoon fed.

"Too late," I muttered from my spot by the door.

Grimm practically jumped to full height at the sound of my voice, a sheepish grin pulled across his lips. Of coarse, this only made little Nel laugh all the more.

"Sorry, Quiorra, I tried to keep quiet but you know how the little monster gets."

I waved my hand, dismissing his apology. "It's okay, I had to get up today, anyway. I'll finish feeding Nelly. You should finish getting ready for school, Ichigo's going to be here any minute and you still haven't put your trousers on."

He smiled in thanks before running into the bedroom to grab his black trousers and school bag. I briefly wondered if he'd eaten breakfast but waved it off as I spied a crumb covered plate in the sink.

Before I could even start feeding Nel, a gentle tap rapped against the front door. He was here right on time, as usual.

Ichigo kurosaki was a nice young man, in my opinion. He was neither rude nor overly polite. He had a torrent of bright orange spikes and a handsome face. His loyalty to his friends and family was incomparable and, although he and Grimmjow often fought physically, they adored each other.

Grimmjow could have chosen a lot worse.

A loud clatter emanated from behind me and I guessed that Grimm had fallen over Nel's toy chest. Again.

He was beside Ichigo in no time, leaning down to kissing the orangettes cheek chastely and waving me goodbye.

I nodded and waved back before turning to Nelly and frowning at the mess she had made. Today was gonna be a busy day.

XXX

**A/N: Yes, I made Grimmjow and Ichigo gay… big whoop, wanna fight about it!**

**Joke ^^**

**Anywho… Reviews?**


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